RAMALLAH, April 29, 2013 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies highlighted on their Monday front page fanatic Israelis setting fire to Palestinian and international property in Jerusalem during celebrations of a Jewish holiday.
They said the settlers celebrated the bon fire Lag Ba’omer holiday by torching several United Nations vehicles in Jabal al-Mukaber and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhoods of occupied East Jerusalem and attacking Palestinian homes and residents in the area.
The paper reported as well on threats by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the Gaza Strip warning that he will not remain quiet to firing of missiles from Gaza into Israel.
However, Al-Quds said in a report that the developments in Syria and Iran and the improvement in relations with Turkey prevent Israel from carrying out a military operation against the Gaza Strip.
Al-Ayyam said a delegation of Arab foreign ministers is scheduled to meet on Monday with United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington during which they will stress to him the importance of ending the deadlock in the peace process and not just to be satisfied with managing the conflict.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida as well as the two other papers reported on the current visit for President Mahmoud Abbas to Italy during which he received an honorary peace award in Napoli.
Al-Quds said in a story that plans are underway to end the daily traffic congestion at Qalandia checkpoint by finding alternative routes. The project is under study by the Ministry of Housing and Works and US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Al-Ayyam published an analysis by its Jerusalem correspondent on the formation of a unity government. It expected that Fatah-Hamas talks on forming the new government are going to face many hurdles particularly since Hamas wants all issues related to the division to be handled and resolved simultaneously.
The paper had a story about the 13-year-old Palestinian boy from Arroub refugee camp near Hebron whose arrest by Israeli soldiers and his plea with the soldiers, which went unheeded, to come and take him the next day after he sits for his school exam was documented on Israeli TV. The report said that after 18 days in detention, an Israeli military court fined Ahmad Jawabreh more than $1000 and sentenced him to home arrest in the camp for one year during which he will not be allowed to leave his home to even attend school in the camp.
The reports said the Ministry of Education was thinking of providing home schooling to Jawabreh so that he will not miss getting education.
The three papers reported on Christian followers of the Orthodox Church and others as well celebrating Palm Sunday with the annual march in the Old City of Jerusalem and mass at the Holy Sepulcher ushering in the Easter Holy Week.
M.S.
